has anyone else been reading stuff lately about lack of vitamin D due to our fear of the sun and burning?

[misdee]

have read a few bits in newspapers and magazines over the last few months (cant recall articles sorry) and its interesting. has made me feel a bit better about the lack of sun cream in this house (dd's are allergic to most we have tried, but will be wearing a new one on monday sports day as out all day, will have to bath, anti-histimine them etc etc afterwards).

obviously the risks of skin cancer is there still, the artcles havent been saying go out and get a tan, but suggest a few minutes exporsure in the evening sunlight, or early morning, as we just need about 15mins IIRC to produce enough vitamin D.

wil ltry and find links.

I read an article on this around a year ago, think rickets was mentioned

I too try to have the dcs out in the morning or evening sunshine (when we have it )

Yes, this was mentioned to me by my doctor as I have hyperparathyroidism which may be caused partly by a deficiency of vitamin D. I was told that you need about 30 minutes a day with bare arms to get enough. Apparently about 20% of people may be deficient without realising it.

oh was it 30mins.

its very interesting. and the point one article made, is there is no money to be made by saying how beneficial the sun actually is to our health. sun protection is a big money making market.

I think it is very real problem.

At a birthday party last weekend it was overcast with the odd glimpse of sunlight.
One parent started handing round the factor 50, "you can't be too careful"
because she did it some other parents did it because they were encouraged.
I was not going to do it as it was nonsense..
They frowned at me ALOT as if I had just given my child cancer on purpose.

Very silly!

Presumably you've got primary hyperparathyroidism caused by over-active parathyroid glands? I had an ultrasound and sestimibi scan which couldn't find the affected gland/s so had the 'full' operation (rather than the mini one) last year. They thought they found 4 enlarged glands (so 4-gland hyperplasia rather than an adenoma) but two of them turned out to be ectopic thymic tissue.

My calcium and parathyroid hormone levels are still elevated so they think that there are still some glands left behind which I've had a negative MRI and am awaiting venous sampling to try and find the buggers!

I had it during my last pregnancy so they've been writing papers about me! Luckily my consultant is one of the leading experts on the condition in this country.

What stage are you at?

Yes, I also think it's silly to slather who knows what chemicals on a child in the hope they don't get skin cancer!

We have so little sun in northern climes that factor 50 for a 20 min run in the outdoors is a little OTT, unless the children are really really light skinned, and any sun exposure blisteres them.

Have you tried dr hauschka childrens mineral based cream missdee? [[]www.drhauschka.com/holistic-products/sun-care/details.aspx?id=175&product=Sunscreen+Spray+ SPF15+-+For+all+skin+conditions here] we use it here on very sunny days if DD's out and about at noon. And we have a hat for her.

I use factor 15 on my face, neck and hands everyday, and I make sure to get 30 mins exposure to the elements once a day to boost my vit D production - I hope that's enough to stave off osteoporosis.

I also read an article on the Hijab, and how women who wear one weren't getting enough vit D from the sun in northern climates. Same principle I suppose.

Sorry that should be a link SPF15+-+For+all+skin+conditions here

i'm going to go hang out my laundry now and boost my vitamin d.

If you have primary hyperparathyroidism you really need to be seen by an endocrinologist not a GP or a rheumatologist! The only treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism is surgery - giving vitamin D is not going to do anything at all and if you are not treated you risk getting osteoporosis - the elevated calcium in your blood comes from your bones! Don't want to scare you but if you have raised calcium and parathyroid hormone levels it does need to be dealt with properly and very, very rarely hyperparathyroidism can be an indicator of another condition (thankfully I appear not to have it).

I'm afraid I can't remember which journal the papers are in.

If you Google hyperparathyroidism, pregnancy and homebirth you might find it though!

Have they definitely said it's hyperparathyroidism though?

Hi Princess of Power...
just noticed your name

look here